Portuguese Water Dog Temperament

Portuguese Water Dog Temperament

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Portuguese Water Dog Overview

Portuguese Water Dogs are known for being brave, docile, impetuous, quarrelsome, intelligent and obedient.

The Portuguese water dog temperament makes them energetic and full of life! They are extremely outgoing dogs that love be around their people. They need to be able to lead an extremely active life because the Portuguese Water Dog Temperament is such that they need a lot of mental and physical stimulation for them to remain healthy and happy. This is easy to do if they are allowed to be in water (obviously) for long periods of time!

Are Portuguese Water Dogs Good Family Dogs?

The Portuguese Water Dog is an excellent family pet. They love being able to play with children and cuddle with the adults. They also love being around other dogs if they have been socialized properly since early childhood. They need to have vigorous exercise in their lives, so they are best suited for families that are active and like doing outdoorsy activities! They will always have extra energy to spare so it is helpful to also give them interactive toys and put them into advanced training.

The Portuguese Water Dogs are sometimes known for their great sense of humor than makes them the laughing stock of the dog community. They are also very well known for their water skills, which is obvious given their names. The Portuguese Water Dog temperament is that of herding dogs because they were bred to herd fish, catch them and to carry messages from boat to boat. They were fishing partners to the fishermen who thought of them as part of the pack and allowed them to even feast on the fish along with them. This is why, they are used to being worked and always feel like they are on duty. The Portuguese Water Dog temperament is such that they need to be able to do a job in order for them to find their lives meaningful. They are great service dogs and can of course, be partners to anyone who is going fishing or even working on the fields. Just like sailors, they know how to be showmen and will give you a chuckle or two from time to time as you work with them as partners.

Are Portuguese Water Dogs Easy to Train?

Portuguese Water Dogs requires training, but the good news is that they are quite easy to train. They are a very intelligent and capable dog breed but some of them might have an independent streak so it is always beneficial to try to train them early. It is also crucial that they understand that you are the leader of the pack and that they must follow your commands. It is useful to keep a jar of treats, tons of cuddles and positive reinforcement around when you are training them. Portuguese Water Dogs do not respond well to harsh training. If you talk too loudly to them, they might shut down or try to avoid you all together. They are generally very ready to please so they should not be testing your patience while you are trying to train them!

The Portuguese Water Dog temperament is well suited for advanced obedience and even agility training. In fact, it is recommended that they do such training to be able to keep themselves mentally stimulated and happy.

Sometimes, the Portuguese Water Dogs are unaware of their size and might try to jump on people. It is crucial to train them not to do so because they can be hurtful for a small person or a child.

The Portuguese Water Dog temperament is such that they might develop separation anxiety when left alone for a large amount of time. When this happens, they can start to chew destructively. Before you leave your dog alone, it might be a good idea to give them a favorite and interesting chew toy or even give them a favorite treat so that they are kept busy and you are not missed excessively.